Hand carried case



8, 1967 A. J. GORDON 3,334,714

HAND CARRIED CASE Filed May 31, 1966 ALFRED JACK GORDON F I BY v G 5 /6'ATTORNEYS A/ M W W r United States Patent 3,334,714 HAND CARRIED CASEAlfred J. Gordon, Adrian, Mich., assignor to Great Lake AluminumFabricators, lnc., Hudson, Mich, a corporation of Michigan 7 Filed May31, 1966, Ser. No.-5$3,826

7 Claims. (Cl. 19057) This invention relates to transportable casesdesigned to be carried in the hand and more specifically to such a caseconsisting of a pair of separable casing sections which may be joinedwith one another to form a sealed article containing compartment and anintegral handle for the case.

conventionally, article carrying cases designed to be carried by thehand such as luggage, attach cases, valises, musical instrument cases,and the like, have been provided with a handle which is pivotablyattached to the container defining the article carrying compartment.Such cases having a separate hinged handle normally have their usefullife reduced because the handle has a tendency to break away from thecontainer as the hinges wear or are broken by contact with sharp-edgedobjects.

To overcome the shortcomings of hinged handles, vattempts have been madein the prior art to provide a case formed of a pair of sections whichare movable with respect to one another. Normally the sections each havea handle half which engage one another whefi the case sections arejoined to form anintegral, unitary handle. The problem associated withhandles of this character has been the difficulty in economicallyforming the two halves such that they may be tightly engaged so that thearticle containing compartment is fluidly sealed.

To overcome the above problem, the present invention contemplates a handcarried case comprising a pair of separable framed casing sections, eachhaving an elo'ngated opening and complementarily shaped molded sealsassociated with each of the openings. When the casing sections arejoined one to the other, the molded seals engage one another tocooperate with the casing frames to form a unitary handle sealed fromthe interior comtively small articles, such as a musical instrument,drafts-' man's tools, or precision instruments and the like. The case isformed of two similar and separable casing sections, each section formedof'a sidewall preferably of a molded plastic sheet framed in aluminumextrusions. Each section has a rectangular shape and is preferablyjoined together along a long edge by a hinge. The two sections aremovable with respect .to one another from a closed position wherein theycooperate to form an article carrying compartment therein andan openposition permitting access to such compartment. The plastic sheet orsidewalls of each section each have an elongated opening formed adjacentthe long side of the frame opposite the hinged side.'The side wall isturned inwardly around each opening to form a peripheral flange. A closefitting, molded, thin walled sealing section is provided for each of theflanges. The sealing sections each have a generally U-shapedcross-section which embraces their flange and which are adapted toengage with one another when the casing sections are in the closedposition. Thus, when the two casing sections aremoved so that the casingframes abut one another, the frames and the openings cooperate to definea handle for the case.

A further feature of the case embodying the present invention is thatthe extrusions that form the frame of each of the casing sections on thehinged sides each have partment.

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Patented Aug. 8, 1967,

longitudinally extending semi-circular recesses. A third extrusionconsisting of a semi-circular section has one of its ends disposed ineach of the recesses. The ser'nicircular section has small lips'on eachof its edges which mate with similar lips on the outer edges of thesemicircular recesses in the two extrusions, to prevent thesemi-circular hinge member from being withdrawn from the recesses. Thus,the extrusion is useful not only in forming an article carrying casehaving an integral handle, but in addition, provides components of thehinge connecting the two sections.

Since the case need only be fixed in either the'open or closed position,it is desirable to provide means to retain the case at these twoextremes. In the preferred embodi- I ment, this is achieved by a pair ofarcuate leaf springs which are arranged on the interior of the case withone end embracing one of the extrusions and the other end embracing theother extrusion. The arrangement is such that as the ends of the springare urged toward one an- .other theytend to pressure the two cases intoeither an open or closed position,.but not both. The arrangement is muchlike an over-center linkage and the springs are gaged or locked withrespect to one another, a locking device isprovided which takes theformof a rivet having a rounded head which projects inwardly from the innerfaceof the frames forming the short sides of one of the casing sections.The inner face of the frame on the opposite casing section carries aresilient arm member extending from the frame and having a recessedportion adapted to frictionally engage the head of the rivet when thetwo frames abut one another in the closed position.

It is therefore to be seen that the primary object of the presentinvention is to provide an article carrying case consisting of a pair ofsection casings hinged toone another such that they are movable betweena closedposition wherein they form a sealed article carryirigcompartmentand an integral hand gripping structure, and an open position whereinthey permit access to such com- It is a further object of the presentinvention to provide such a case having an integral handle and alsohaving'a hinge consisting of a pair of extruded framing sections, eachof which has an arcuateslot formed therein and a third extruded sectionhaving an arcuate cross-section which is adapted to be locked with itsends within the slots so as to form a guide for pivotable rotation ofone of the slotted extrusions with respect to the other and wherein thepreferred extruded sections provide not only part of the hinge, but alsopart of the integral handle.

Other objects, advantages and'applications of the present invention willbe made apparent to one skilledinthe art to which the invention pertainsupon reference to the following detailed description of apreferredembodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings in whichlike reference characters refer to like parts through out the severalviews, in-which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a case, illustrating a preferredembodiment .of the invention, shown in a t a closed position; V I Y,FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the case of'FIG- URE 1 shown in anopen position; 7

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view handle section taken along line 3'-3 of FIGURE "1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the locking clasp-as seen from lines 4 4of FIGURE 1; and

through the I FIGURE -5 is a detailed sectional view taken through URE2.

Now referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of; the inventionconsists of a case of the type which may be used for a musicalinstrument. The case is formed of a bottom section generally indicatedat pivotally hinged to a top section 12 by a hinge generally indicatedat 14. The-case sections each include a side panel 16 and 18 formed ofgenerally rectangular sheets of thin vacuum formed plastic. The sidepanels 16 and 18 are generally similar to one another. Preferably, theextreme edges of the side panels 16 and 18 are bent generally normallyto the main section to form lips 20 and 22 which project fully aroundthe perimeter of the sides to give the sections a dished aspect.Outwardly extending bulges 24 and 26 are formed in the middle of eachside of the lips 20 and 22..The bulges 24 and 26 have a width less thanthat of their respective lips and they project along the major portionof each of the lips terminating a short distance away from the end ofthe lip. The bulges 24 and 26 are used to retain the side panels 16 and18 in their edge frames. The edge frames each comprise four sections ofaluminum extrusions formed in a rectangular pattern. The peripheral edgeframe for the side panel 16 comprises an elongated side member 28, apair of short end members 30 disposed normallyto the side member 28 andan elongated hinge member 32 which is disposed parallel to the sidemember 28 and separated by the length of the end member 30. The sidepanel 18 is similarly framed in an elongated side member 34, a pair ofnormally disposed end members 36 and a hinge member 38.

The four side members of each of the two side panels are preferablyformed of a single length of extrusion beveled at three points and bentnormally at these points to form a rectangular frame. The open ends arejoined together by suitable means to form a unitary frame. Thus,

the cross-sections of the four sides of each of the two frames areidentical. The'cross-sections of the two framing sections are shown inFIGURES 3, 4, and 5. The cross-sectionof the peripheral framing sectionfor'the .casing section 18 is typified by the cross-section of the hingemember 38 in FIGURE 5 and has a rectangular shape, having a heightexceeding its width. On what will be termed the inner face of thesection, an arcuate slot 40 is formed. The slot 40 extends normally tothe face of the section on which it opens and then curves in thedirection of one of the side walls. The cross-section of the slot 40 isuniform throughout the length of the section 38 except for a lip 42which extends into the slot from the convex side ofv its opening at thesurface of the section.

54 which extends from the opening of the arcuate slot.

' which includes a slot 56 formed from the opposite face with a lipportion 58 projecting from the surface'of the opening of the slotinwardly to retain the bulge section 26 on the side panel 16.

-The two hinge members 32 and 38. are joined together by an arcuateextrusion 60. The extrusion 60 has the same curvature as the slots 40and 52 and has a developed width equal to the sum of the length of thetwo slots. Its. thickness is equal to the thickness of the slots 40and52 i less the extension of their tabs 42 and '54. The extrusion 60has extending tabs 62 on the two edges of its convex surface and isassembled to the hinge member 32 and 38 by inserting its endslongitudinally into the slots 40 and 52 before the extruded frame isclosed into its rectangular configuration. Thus, it can be seen that thetabs. 62 prevent the ends'of the arcuate section 60 from'being removedfrom the slots 40 and 52. m It'can be seen that the recess 48 and thetipl50 form a hinge line which allows the sections 10 and 12 to berotated between the open position shown in FIGURE 2 and the closedposition shown in FIGURE 1. In the closed position, the arcuateextrusion 60 lies wholly within the slots 40 and 52; while in the openposition, only its extreme ends are received within the slots. When thecase is in the closed position, the tip 50 which runs continu' ouslyaround the frame sections :32, 30 and 28 mates with the recess 48 whichruns completely around the frame sections 34, 36 and 38 to form a seal.

The two sections are biased into either an open or closed position by apair of arcuate springs 64. The springs 64 are r formed of arcuatesections of sheet spring steel. One' of the springs 64 is locatedadjacent to each of the extreme ends of the two hinged frameseetions 32and 38 and include bent sections 66 such that the springsfasten overopposite faces of the hinge members 32 and 38 as can A second slot 44 isformed inwardly from the face of the section opposite to that whichcarries the slot 40 and is adapted to retain the bulged portion 26. Theslot 44 is generally rectangular and has side walls which extendnormally inwardly from the face ofthe section that it opens on. Aninwardly extending lip 46 is formed on one of the sidewalls adjacent theopening surface. The lip 46 is adapted to' retain the edgeof the sidepanel 18 by trapping the bulged portion 26 formed along the edge of thatside. I

The, extruded frame 38 also has formed on the corner of the inner face asmall recess 48.

The hinge member 32 has a cross-section which is typical of the framingfor the side panel 16 and which is substantially identical to thesection of the hinge member 38 except that it has an extending tipinstead of the recess 48. The tip 50 is complementary shaped to therecess 48 such that when the side panels 16 and 18 are moved outer intothe open position, the tip 50 is received by the recess case in theclosed position.

be seen in FIGURE 5, such that they embrace the two hinge members.

The-springs 64 act with the hinge frame members as an overcenterlinkage. The ends 66 of the springs are urged toward one another byspring tension. When the case sections 12 and 10 are in an intermediateposition, that is half way between open and closed, the spring ends'66fare at an'extreme distance from one, another. If the case is moved toeither an open or closed position from the intermediate position,- thespringends move closer. to one another Thus, the springs urge the twocase sectionsinto either an open or closed position, but resist motiontoward the intermediate position between open and closed.

In order to firmly lock the case in the closed position,

a fiat spring member 68 is fastened on thetinnerface 3 of each of theoppositeshort end members preferably by threaded fasteners 70. When sidemembers 28 and 34 abut one another, the members 68 overlap the-oppositeframe member to engage a rounded projection 72swhich in the preferredembodiment takes the form of a rivet member and which is received by arecessed. sectionv74 formed .in the spring members 68. Thus,.the twospring members 68 and the rounded projections 72 cooperate'to firmlylock the Now referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, the-side panels 16 and 18each have a flanged portion 76 and 78 which define a generallytrapezoidally shaped opening .formed along the side members34 and 28which are opposite the hinged sides. A molded generally U-shaped seal 80tightly embraces the inwardly directed edge of the flange 78.,The

opposite fiange76 carries a peripheral seal 82 adapted to embrace .theinwardly directed peripheral edge of the flange 76 and which includes anoffset portion 84 which when the side members 34 and 28 abut oneanother, mates with the seal 80 to provide a peripheral seal around theopening. Thus, the side members 34 and28 cooperate with the sealedopening to provide a convenient hand grip for the user.

It can be seen that the preferred case is formed of an extruded aluminumsection which forms part of an integral handle and also integralcomponents of the hinge means 14. It can be further seen that by makingthe handle an integral part of the casing rather than a separate piece,as is p ovided in the conventional case, fewer parts are required, andthe produced case has an improved stream lined appearance. The handleopenings may be formed in the process of shaping the side panels 16 and18. Thus the improved case has a neater appearance, and is formed offewer parts, capable of easy fabrication. The seals permit the casingsections to be closed to provide a sealed article containingcompartment.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A transportable case comprising:

(a) a pair of separable casing sections movable relative,

to one another between a closed position in which they define anarticle-receiving compartment therein and an open position permittingaccess to such compartment;

(b) each of said sections including a rigid side wall encased in anormally extending peripheral frame;

(c) each of said side walls having a similarly shaped opening formedalong a side of said peripheral frame; and

(d) a molded seal associated with the periphery of each of said openingsand said seals adapted to engage one another in a sealing relationshipwhen said casing sections are in the closed position so that saidopenings and said frame cooperate to form a unitary handle for saidcase.

2. A transportable case as defined in claim 1 wherein slots.

each of said side walls is encased in a rectangular frame;

said frames pivotably connected along a long side of said frames; andsaid openings formed in said side walls along the long sides oppositesaid hinged sides.

3. A transportable case as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said sidewalls has a similarly shaped opening in cluding a peripheral rim definedby an inwardly turned flange, and said seals closely fit said flangesand are complementarily shaped so that they engage one another when saidcasing sections are inthe closed position. 1

4. A transportable case as defined in claim 3; wherein said framescomprise a pair of elongated aluminum extrusions, bent normally at threepoints to form a rectangular frame.

5. A transportable case as defined in claim 4, wherein said extrusionseach have an arcuate slot and are hinged together along a common pair ofsides 'by an arcuate extrusion which has a portion of 'its width in eachof the 6. A transportable case as defined in claim 5, including meansassociated with the short sides of said frames for releasably lockingsaid-frames in an abutting relationship. v

7. A transportable case as defined in claim 6, wherein each of saidframes is adapted to retain a generally planar plastic side member withdishededges extending generally normally to the plane of the sidemember.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,283,832- 11/1918, McCarroll220-94 X FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Eraminer

1. A TRANSPORTABLE CASE COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF SEPARABLE CASING SECTIONS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION IN WHICH THEY DEFINE AN ARTICLE-RECEIVING COMPARTMENT THEREIN AND AN OPEN POSITION PERMITTING ACCESS TO SUCH COMPARTMENT; (B) EACH OF SAID SECTIONS INCLUDING A RIGID SIDE WALL ENCASED IN A NORMALLY EXTENDING PERIPHERAL FRAME; (C) EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A SIMILARLY SHAPED OPENING FORMED ALONG A SIDE OF SAID PERIPHERAL FRAME; AND 